Baton ball games



M rch 1963 G. L. KAUFFMAN ETAL 3,

BATON BALL GAMES Filed Oct. 24, 1960 INVENTORS GLENN KAUFFMAN JOHN W. WILLIAMS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,083,018 BATON BALL GAMES Glenn L. Kaufi'man, Manor Road, Front Royal, Va, and John W. Williams, Chester Gap, Va. Filed Oct. 24, 1960, Ser. No. 64,578 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-95) This invention relates to improvements in a baton ball game.

The object of this invention is to provide an amusement device which includes means facilitating finger ex ercise, eye exercise and in addition an interesting game of skill.

More specifically the invention comprehends a structure including a plurality of spaced cups mounted on a cross member, the cross member having intermediate its length a baton structure by means of which it may be rotated for catching in the cups moving objects such as balls, the latter after reception in the cups being retained therein by virtue of forces produced by the rotation of the device.

Another object is to provide means for adjusting the cups on the arms of the cross member to satisfy the operator.

Another object is to provide for the mounting of any number of cups along the cross member and at each side of the medial baton structure so that any number of balls may be put into play commensurate with the amount of skill of the player.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mounting for the cups on the cross arms of the assembly so that the cups may be reversed in position to thus require greater skill in the operation of the baton structure.

These and other objects of the invention will more clearly hereinafter appear by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the instant application and wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the invention in which the cups face in the same direction;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section of a cup showing a ball in position therein;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevation showing a multiple cup arrangement.

The present device embodies an assembly comprising a pair of bars or arms of a suitable plastic or light metal of any suitable length, as for instance twenty-six inches. Medially of the bars or arms is an annulus 1 having a suitable outer diameter, as for instance six inches. The bars or arms indicated by reference characters 2 and 3 are fixed to and radiate from the annulus 1 in longitudinal alignment and at a position so that their axes intersect the axis of the annulus 1. A cross 'bar 4 is fixed within the annulus 1 in a position of approximately thirtyfive degrees from the horizontal, as shown in FIG. 1, and has a cross section appropriate for manipulation in the manner of a baton to cause a rotation or partial rotation in either direction by the fingers of a player.

Preferably the parts hereto described are molded as a. unit, although it will be obvious that the radiating arms or bars 2 and 3 may be removably secured to the annulus 1 to facilitate manufacture, packing or the substitution of these parts to permit the use of bar sections of different lengths.

3,083,018 Patented Mar. 26, 1963 A plurality of cups 5 are provided for use with the body assembly, the cups being shown as formed with relatively heavy [base portion 6 and transverse bore 7 to permit their arrangement on the bar sections. The bore 7 is of a diameter to permit a snug fit on either bar section, the snug fit permitting a gripping action on its bar to thus permit adjustment therealong for the substiution of cups of difieren sizes or configurations.

Any number of arrangements of cups may be provided to satisfy the desire or ability of the player. In FIG. 1 the cups are shown reversed so that a pair of balls may be caught by rotation of the assembly in a single direction. In FIG. 2 the cups are reversed and permit an alternate movement of the assembly. The halls may be of any size with respect to the timer diameter of the cups, i.e. the balls may fit loosely in the cups or may have the capacity of being temporarily retained therein by friction.

In use the structure will be manipulated by engaging the fingers about and around the cross bar 4, which initially will be in the position of FIG. =1, i.e. with the cross bar 4 in a position of approximately thirty-five degrees from the horizontal. The player will cause the assembly to rotate and while rotating will toss or bounce balls vertically so that they will descend into the rotating cups. The form of the invention shown in FIG. 1 would provide for the use of two ball-s which would be caught in the cups by the player as they descend after having been tossed or bounced in the air. In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 1 the first ball having been caught in one cup will be retained therein while the player in attempting to catch a ball in the second cup, the retention of the ball being due to the velocity of the spinning cup.

The same operation would occur in the use of the disclosure of FIG. 5 or any other form contemplated by this 7 application. In the disclosure of FIG. 5 four balls would be selectively tossed or bounced in the air and caught in the cups. As an alternate, the device could be oscillated with all of the cups in vertical position. In this instance the balls could be retained in their respective cups by the skill of the player and the adjustment of the speed of movement of the assembly. On the other hand, the provision of the balls so that their diameter would be retained by friction within the tapering cups may be an alternate arrangement.

What we claim is:

In a game apparatus including an annulus having a pair of axially aligned outwardly projecting arms, cup members having thickened base portions formed with transverse openings, said transverse openings and said arms being of such diameter so as to insure a snug frictional engagement of said arms by said openings and to permit the longitudinal adjustment of said cups along said arms, and a crossbar arranged at approximately 325 degrees from the horizontal connecting opposite sides of the annulus and forming a hand hold therefor for manually manipulating the same to position the cups for receiving untethered traveling articles therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,181,236 Irwin Nov. 28, 1939 2,414,063 Rogers Jan. 7, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 137,030 Austria Apr. 10, 1934 

